After 35 Years, The Dinah Is Still the World’s Largest and Wildest Sapphic Party

With the simple idea of creating a fun, fabulous, and safe space specifically for queer women, entrepreneur and activist Mariah Hanson threw the first ever “Dinah” party at the Palm Springs Modern Art Museum in 1991. About 1,500 people showed up to the sold-out event. Hanson even booked entire hotels so that partygoers could be in an “all-lesbian” environment, helping to create a much-needed feeling of safety and community at the time.In the years that followed, Hanson started bringing in national sponsors, popular recording artists, and made a point to keep all events within walking distance in efforts to create “our very own world within a world.” Over time, The Dinah has evolved to be known as the largest and longest-running annual event for queer women in the world. And, as The Dinah continued to grow over the past three and a half decades, it also evolved to be an increasingly inclusive space, welcoming the many nonbinary folks, trans people, and others who are intrinsically part of and connected to the community.This year, from September 30 to October 4, The Dinah took over host venues Hotel Zoso and the Hilton Palm Springs for five glorious, fun-filled days. As Hanson now hands over the reigns over to new owners, business partners and besties Rose Garcia and Bella Barko, the beloved sapphic event also celebrates its 35th year. New Dinah co-owner Rose Garcia, Da Brat with wife Jesseca Harris-Dupart, and Dinah founder Mariah Hanson.Desiree Guerrero“I’m so proud of Rose & Bella,” Hanson told Them on the red carpet. “I’m so thankful that the stars aligned and [The Dinah] got transferred to the perfect people — and it is next level! It’s wonderful to see how they’ve taken it and they are growing it. It’s inspiring.”“I’m feeling like it's Dinah for the first time,” said new co-owner Garcia of the evening's palpable excitement. “It’s beautifully overwhelming!”“I hope to have any remote sense of success that Mariah had,??